Limited durability fastening for a garment

Abstract

A limited durability fastening for a garment. The garment is provided with fastening members which engage to close the fastening and the fastening members are provided with means for controlling the degradation of the closure strength of the fastening as it is opened and closed and thus the number of permissible closures of the fastening having a pre-determined closure strength. The garment is particularly useful when fitted to a foot where short life is desirable at low cost or to a garment where re-use is to be discouraged for either clinical or commercial reasons.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of providing a limited durability fastening for a garment comprising providing one fastening garment element of the garment with an adhesive tab and/or adhesively treated area, providing another fastening garment element of the garment with a contact zone or zones formed of a material capable of degrading the adhesive of the tab or treated area upon contact therewith, modifying the garment material at said contact zone or zones to control the degradation of the adhesive tab or adhesively treated area when contact is made therebetween thereby to determine the permissible number of make and break closures of the fastening having a predetermined contact strength, wherein an aperture or apertures are provided in said one garment fastening element as a means of relieving the stress in the limited durability fastening, and providing a non-woven material as the material capable of degrading the adhesive tab or treated area, wherein the garment material is modified by applying a bonding coat in the form of a vapour phase media. 
     
     
       2. A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the application of the bonding coat in the form of the vapour phase media is applied under the influence of negative pressure to the reverse side of the non-woven material in a predetermined pattern and varying the negative pressure to determine the final thickness, weight or ingress of the bonding coat on the non-woven material. 
     
     
       3. A method as claimed in  claim 2  further including applying an obscured or hidden textual symbolic or iconic message on one or more of said garment elements on the adhesive tab, adhesively treated area or non-woven material by transfer or removal of defining elements. 
     
     
       4. A method as claimed in  claim 3  further including providing a visual indication of the limited number of make and break closures by contrasting contamination of the adhesive tab or adhesively treated area. 
     
     
       5. A method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the contrasting coloured contamination is provided by removal depletion or deposition of contrasting coloured fibrous material from the contact zone or zones. 
     
     
       6. A method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein contrasting contamination is provided by indication of the cumulative degree of contamination of the materials in the attachment area. 
     
     
       7. A method as claimed in  claim 1  including degrading a closure strength of the fastening at least 50% after 4 make and break closures. 
     
     
       8. A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein modifying the garment material comprises changing an adhesive degrading surface characteristic of the garment material in the contact zone or zones.